1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an agitator for agitating washing water and laundry in a washing tub of a washing machine (washer), and more particularly to an agitator employing an upstanding washing rod.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, clothes washers operate under one of two types of methods mainly, one is a pulsating method and the other is a washing rod method.
The washer of the pulsating method has an advantage in that washing time can be shortened and voluminous laundering is possible by way of strong rotating water current caused by rotation of a pulsator.
However, the washer of the pulsating method has a drawback in that the laundry can be entwined, causing damage to the laundry.
Meanwhile, even though the washer of the washing rod method has a drawback in that voluminous or large size laundering is not preferred, the same has an advantage in that the entwining of the laundry can be prevented.
The washer of the washing rod method (hereinafter referred to as "rod type washer") is featured in an attached drawing of FIG. 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the rod type washer comprises: a control panel 2 composed of switches for accomodating input of various commands for controlling operations of the washer and a display unit for displaying operational states of the washer; a housing body 4 for being provided with an agitator 6 formed with a washing rod 7 and a washing tub 8 and for supporting each component of the washer; a driving unit 10 for driving the agitator 6 or the washing tub 8 according to a user's command input through the control panel 2 to thereby perform the washing, rinsing, spin-drying and the like; and a door 18 for affording access when the laundry and the like is thrown into or taken out of the washing tub 8.
Meanwhile, the driving unit 10 comprises: a motor 12 for being operated or rotated according to the user's command transmitted through the control panel 2; a first pulley 13a fixedly disposed on an axle of the motor 12; a second pulley 13b for being rotated by the first pulley by means of a belt 14; and a clutch 15 for receiving the turning effect of the second pulley 13b to thereby transmit the same to an axle 16 of the agitator 6 or to the washing tub 8, or to prevent the turning effect of the second pulley 13b from being transferred to the axle 16 of the agitator 6 or to the washing tub 8.
Accordingly, when the user opens the door 18 of the washer in order to wash the laundry, throws the laundry and the like into the washing tub 18, operates the switches of the control panel 2 and operates the washer, the washing water is supplied into the washing tub 8 by a supply device (not shown).
At this time, quantity of the washing water supplied by the supply device is determined by the user but there are cases when the water is determined in its quantity according to quantity of the laundry.
In other words, the driving unit 10 rotates the agitator 6 to the left and to the right to measure the quantity of the laundry, and the quantity of the washing water is determined according to the measured quantity of the laundry.
When the above-measured quantity of washing water is supplied to the washing tub 8, the motor 12 in the driving unit 10 is rotated, and the turning effect of the motor 12 is transferred to the clutch 15 through the first pulley 13a, the belt 14 and the second pulley 13b.
The clutch 15 transmits to the agitator 6 or washing tub 8 the turning effect (power) of the motor through the first pulley 13a, belt 14 and the second pulley 13b.
In other words, the clutch 15 transmits the power of the motor 12 to the agitator 6 during the washing process, and the agitator 6 is rotated alternately in the left and right directions.
When the agitator 6 is rotated in the left and right directions, the washing rod 7 integrally disposed with the agitator 6 is rotated in the left and right directions along with the agitator 6 to thereby agitate the laundry and washing water.
Accordingly, the laundry is abraded with the agitator 6, washing rod 7, washing tub 8 and the washing water to thereby be washed.
Furthermore, the clutch 15 transfers the power of the motor to the washing tub 8 during a spin-dry process to rotate the tub at a high speed, so that the spin-drying is conducted by centrifugal force.
According to the operational principle thus described, the washer repeatedly performs one time or up to several times the cycle of water supply, washing, draining, spin-drying, rinsing and the like by way of control of a control unit (not shown).
In the case of the rod type washer, the washing rod 7 is disposed at the central area of the agitator 6 and is fixed in its length.
Accordingly, when the laundry is inserted into the washing tub, the laundry usually gets caught by the rod to thereby make it difficult for the laundry to be inserted into the tub.
The rod also occupies lots of space in the tub, and when the laundry is layed on a top area of the rod in a state where the washing water is low in its level, the washing cannot be done properly, thereby causing a reduced washing efficiency.